Description

Very groove-based bass line which is maintained until the chorus which opts for a slight variation on this bass line. A guitar solo heavily based on the chordal progression which then leads back into the verse. The piece ends with the original groove riff played twice and then ended on a tonic chord. Strong lyrics and vocals with a memorable melody especially in the chorus, coupled with the 4-on-the-floor beat and bassline, would seem to indicate that the boys have been listening to Franz Ferdinand a lot lately.

Matthew said that: "'Exo Politics' is dealing more with the aspect I think is daffy, though [laughs]. It is about a trade agreement between the US government and extraterrestials, about the use of new technologies. Many people believe that a large part of the contemporary techniques came from a different world. I'm not sure about that, but it is certainly interesting".[4]

Matt has said the idea of the projects being aimed at fighting aliens is much more appealing. While stating he takes this idea seriously, he has been simultaneously reduced to incoherent, hysterical laughter by this.

Additional information

The theremin sound effect on the introduction is actually played by Matt using a Kaoss pad controller.[5]

Known as Burning Bandits when first played, by fans who had mistakenly thought is was the Western-themed song (Knights of Cydonia) that Matt had referred to in a 2005 interview as the 'Bandit Song'. The early live versions featured an extended introduction and the focus of the lyrics regarded 'demons' instead of (apparent) aliens. The reference to demons had been replaced by 'symbols' after the song was performed live only a handful of times. When played live, the song is played half a step down, the same as Starlight.

The song is about the inhabitants of the Zeta Reticuli Star System invading Earth, or as Matt said: "That’s about the possibility of an orchestrated alien invasion created by the New World Order". It is also about PSYOPs, using the paranormal as a method of covering secret "black" projects - for example Groom Lake in Nevada, the role of conflict in controlling public thought, and the Star Wars Strategic Defense project.